Ernest M. Freedman
Analyst · RBC Capital Markets
Thanks, Terry. On today's call, I will cover the following subjects: First, our third quarter results; second, our recent balance sheet activities; and third, I will provide fourth quarter guidance. As to third quarter results at $0.41 per share, third quarter performing FFO was $0.01 per share above the midpoint of our guidance. As to operating results, you will see in table on Page -- in the table on Page 2 of our earnings release, total same-store NOI, which includes Conventional and Affordable properties, was up 3.8% year-over-year, with Conventional Same Store, up 3%; and Affordable Same Store, up 8.6%. Total same-store revenue was up 3.5% for the quarter, with Conventional Same Store, up 3.5%; and Affordable Same Store, up 3.6%. Conventional Same Store revenue growth was driven by an increase in average rents of 3.1%, which was offset somewhat by an 80 basis point decline in occupancy. Conventional Same Store leases during the quarter were up 5.8% from the corresponding expiring lease. On an overall basis, these increases were up 6.1% in July and August and 5.2% in September. We continue to have about 2 renewal leases for each new lease, and the rates of increase for each are as follows. Rates on renewal leases strengthened during the quarter and averaged 5.6% above expiring lease rates compared to a second quarter average of 3.6%. Results by month were: July, up 4.9%; August, up 5.7%; and September, up 6.2%. New lease rates during the quarter averaged 6.1% higher than expiring lease rates compared to 5.1% in the second quarter. Results by month were: July, up 7.2%; August, up 6.7%; and September, up 4%. Our numbers for July and August have changed from what we reported in the press release in September due to our changed same-store population due to property sales that were completed, as well as the addition of some property results from properties that changed to our new property management system during these months. October rates are currently coming in at approximately 5% above expiring lease, with renewal rates at 6% and new lease rates at closer to 3%. Starting in mid-August, we saw a drop in demand that has since persisted. October 2011 visits are down 20% over the same period last year. We continue to be successful in increasing rental rates on expiring leases, but we expect the rate of increase for renewals around 5% and new leases to remain in the 3% to 4% range for the remainder of 2011. On the expense side, total same-store expenses were up 3.1% over last year, primarily due to the timing of real estate tax appeals. Year-to-date, total same-store expenses are 2% lower than the same period last year. Turning to our balance sheet, our only recourse debt obligation is our revolving line of credit, which is used for short-term working capital needs and to collateralize letters of credit. As of September 30, the outstanding balance on the line was $26 million, and collateralized letters of credit also totaled $26 million, leaving us with available capacity on the line of $248 million. Year-to-date, we have further strengthened our balance sheet by reducing our net leverage by $113 million, which includes net refinancing activity, regularly scheduled property debt amortization, loan paydowns and $51 million of notes Aimco purchased from the Freddie Mac securitization trust that holds only Aimco property loans. We continue to make progress on extending our property debt maturities and locking in today's low interest rates. During the third quarter, we refinanced that current balances $105 million of property debt coming due in 2011 through 2014. The weighted average interest rate on the new loans was 4.14%, 53 basis points below that of the loans that were refinanced. All of these loans have a term of 7 years. Non-GSE lenders accounted for about 75% of third quarter refinancing activity. We have just $6 million of maturities coming up in the fourth quarter and no maturities in the first quarter of 2012. As of September 30, $256 million was scheduled to mature through the end of 2012 or about 5% of our outstanding property debt balance. We have rate locked $56 million of third quarter 2012 maturities at an interest rate of 4.52%, which is 230 basis points below that of the existing loans. We are in various stages of the application and negotiation processes for the remainder of our 2012 maturities, as well as for additional maturities beyond 2012. During the third quarter, we completed the initial offering of a new issuance of perpetual preferred equity, our Class Z stock with a coupon rate of 7% and a par value of $25 per share. At closing, we issued 800,000 shares at an effective yield of 7.2%, gross proceeds to Aimco of about $19 million. Net proceeds from the issuance were used to redeem 862,500 shares or 25% of the amount outstanding of our Class Z preferred stock, which has a coupon rate of 8% and generally trades par. During the third quarter, we also issued 23,800 shares under our Class Z at the market program at an effective yield of 7.2%, for gross proceeds of approximately $575,000. We intend to accumulate the proceeds from further Class Z ATM issuances and use them to redeem higher cost preferred equity outstanding and reduce our overall cost of leverage. Lastly, on the balance sheet, during third quarter, we issued about 113,000 shares under our common stock ATM program at a weighted average price of $26.33 per share, generating gross proceeds of about $3 million. Year-to-date, we have issued a total of 2.9 million shares at a weighted average price of $25.27 per share, generating gross proceeds of $74 million, which were used to match fund investment activity, including partnership transactions, acquisitions and redevelopment and other capital expenditures. Looking ahead, we are narrowing full year pro forma FFO guidance from a range of $1.45 to $1.51 per share to a range of $1.46 to $1.50 per share. The midpoint of $1.48 per share is unchanged from our last quarterly update and includes a deduction of $0.15 per share for prepayment penalties included in the second quarter related to the Freddie Mac refinancing and securitization transaction. Excluding onetime items, full year 2011 pro forma FFO is projected to be $1.63 per share, at the midpoint of our guidance or about 10% higher than full year 2010 pro forma FFO. Our projections for full year 2011 property operating results are in line with the ranges we provided last quarter and are as follows: total same-store NOI growth of 5.5%; Conventional Same Store NOI growth of approximately 5%, which is unchanged from the midpoint of our prior guidance and is based on revenue growth of approximately 2.7%; and a decrease in expenses of approximately 1%, which is at the low end of our prior guidance range. We project Affordable Same Store NOI growth of approximately 11% over last year. And across our entire portfolio, we expect full year NOI growth to be approximately 4.5%. Finally, for the fourth quarter, pro forma FFO is projected to be $0.39 to $0.43 per share, with a year-over-year total same-store NOI growth of 4.5% to 5.5%. With that, we will now open up the call for questions. Please limit your questions to 2 per time in the queue. Operator, I'll turn it over to you for the first question, please.